One Day Historical Philadelphia

Leave NYC at 7:15am.  Park car by Edgar Allan Poe House at 8:55. Watch a short film, tour the house, walk out the back, go to the basement, relax in the sitting room and listen to Basil Rathbone and Vincent Price read excerpts of Poe's works.  Buy a first day Poe stamped envelope.   Very enjoyable experience.  Guides in the house were very helpful and hospitable.

There for about 50 minutes. Head over to the Visitors Center by the Liberty Bell.

Park car in lot($14 for the day), get ticket for Independence Hall. Watch 17 minute film called Independence at Visitor Center. Walk by the new Liberty Bell center, go to Independence Hall. Take tour.

From there go to the Liberty Bell.

Then go to the Jewish History Museum. See monument for Jonathan Netanyahu (Benjamin's brother, and the only soldier killed during the raid on Entebbe). Go into museum. Check out the Synagogue.

Then go to Ben Franklin's grave at Christ Church cemetery. Take pictures from outside the gate.

Then walk to Betsy Ross's house. Actors there in period outfits. Take the audio tour of Betsy Ross's house ($4 with admission). See Ross's grave there. 

Next stop in Franklin's Court, where Franklin's house use to be. Also there is the Post Office Museum. Watch a short film there on Franklin.

Then go to the National Liberty Museum. Just stumbled upon it, right by Franklin Court. Wasn't on my itinerary. Paid the $5 to go in. Very nice museum. 4 floors. Top floor had an exhibit on religion. Had a little feature on the dead sea scrolls, also 3 paintings by Chagall on the 3 religions. On the other side of the floor, there was all the china from the white house for all the administrations. Also all the medals of honor.   3rd floor had an exhibit on violence in society, about school violence, guns, kids. Other side had violence throughout history, mentioned the nazi's, showed the worst, most evil people in the world.   In the stairwell, there was a tribute to 9/11, and had photos of all the 343 firemen on the wall.

After this, walked down, passed the 1st Bank in the US, stopped at the American-Polish Cultural Center. Not much there. A big bust of Pope John Paul 2.

Then head over to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Passed Todd House on the way, where Dolly Madison once lived.

Pass back of Independence Hall, get to Washington Square Park, where the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from the Revolutionary War is located.

Head out the back of the park and head over to Mikveh Israel Cemetery, where Haym Salomon is buried.

Get to final stop, Constitution Center at 3:45. 

Film presentation, which features a live actress speaking over the film. Only 4 other people in the auditorium with me. From there go check out the rest of the exhibits. Many great visual features on presidents and events throughout the history of the USA. Finish in a room with life size statues of all the signers of the Constitution, posed in a meeting. Very cool place.

Leave here at 5 when they are closing. Get car, then drive down towards South Street. Go to gluten-free bakery there (Mr Ritts). Friendly people there, they let me keep the stuff in the their freezer, I walk a few blocks to South Street and get a cheese steak at Phil's Cheese Steaks at 4th and South.

Head back to NY around 5:45. Home by 7:30. Finish cheese steak.